What Will It Be
Encyclopedia
"What Will It Be" is an award winning limited edition digital single by Deeyah
, featuring guest performance rap by LA rapper and Grand Theft Auto San Andreas voice talent Young Maylay
. This was Young Maylay's first appearance in a single.
What Will It Be was to be Deeyah’s second single in the UK after a successful Top 30 release of Plan of My Own.
The music video for What Will It Be was filmed in Mumbai
, India
. Throughout the music video people are shown removing tape from their mouths to illustrate a need for expressive freedom, particularly concerning women's right's, a woman’s freedom of choice
as well as sexuality. It is also, according to Deeyah, a response to critics that would hope to silence her musical voice and who have threatened Deeyah throughout her career in an attempt limit her freedom of expression. In Deeyah’s view, the Muslim community needs to examine its own place in the world and treatment of women before turning its judgment outward towards the West. The video also refers to the double standards and hypocrisy of strictly patriarchal cultures based on honor and shame.
In reoccurring scenes throughout the music video, images of individuals, especially women, are projected on Deeyah's bare back. Every person is someone who was murdered for his or her individual choices.
What Will It Be spawned outrage in what was to become the famous "burkah to bikini
" scene by showing a Muslim woman, stepping from her burkah and plunging into a swimming pool wearing a bikini illustrating that although she is hidden, she has thechoice to be covered or not. Either way, she is the same woman and worthy of respect, and that a piece of cloth does not define a woman's dignity.
The music video for What Will It Be was pulled from rotation as threats of violence mounted against UK television and music stations by the Muslim community increased. In the wake of these controversies, local Asian music channel B4U Music banned her videos. In a statement to UK newspapers a B4U network's representative stated they "have received threats that has forced them to take the matter seriously". .
What Will It Be received the Freedom to create award in 2008.
The music video was also shown as part of an art exhibition for freedom of expression in Stedelijk Museum
, The Netherlands.
Eventually, due to demand, “What Will It Be” was made available as a digital download only release on ITunes. Although this was to be Deeyah’s last single due to concerns over personal safety.
Deeyah
Deeyah , born August 7, 1977 in Oslo, Norway, is a Norwegian singer,music producer, composer, film maker and human rights activist of Punjabi/Pashtun descent. She adopted the name Deeyah in 2002...
, featuring guest performance rap by LA rapper and Grand Theft Auto San Andreas voice talent Young Maylay
Young Maylay
Christopher "Chris" Bellard also known by his stage name, Young Maylay, is an American West Coast rapper from Los Angeles...
. This was Young Maylay's first appearance in a single.
What Will It Be was to be Deeyah’s second single in the UK after a successful Top 30 release of Plan of My Own.
The music video for What Will It Be was filmed in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Throughout the music video people are shown removing tape from their mouths to illustrate a need for expressive freedom, particularly concerning women's right's, a woman’s freedom of choice
Freedom of choice
For freedom of choice, see:*choice for information on theories that involve free will and human behavior.*Freedom of choice plans to integrate US schools .*Freedom of Choice, a 1980 synthpop landmark album by Devo...
as well as sexuality. It is also, according to Deeyah, a response to critics that would hope to silence her musical voice and who have threatened Deeyah throughout her career in an attempt limit her freedom of expression. In Deeyah’s view, the Muslim community needs to examine its own place in the world and treatment of women before turning its judgment outward towards the West. The video also refers to the double standards and hypocrisy of strictly patriarchal cultures based on honor and shame.
In reoccurring scenes throughout the music video, images of individuals, especially women, are projected on Deeyah's bare back. Every person is someone who was murdered for his or her individual choices.
What Will It Be spawned outrage in what was to become the famous "burkah to bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
" scene by showing a Muslim woman, stepping from her burkah and plunging into a swimming pool wearing a bikini illustrating that although she is hidden, she has thechoice to be covered or not. Either way, she is the same woman and worthy of respect, and that a piece of cloth does not define a woman's dignity.
The music video for What Will It Be was pulled from rotation as threats of violence mounted against UK television and music stations by the Muslim community increased. In the wake of these controversies, local Asian music channel B4U Music banned her videos. In a statement to UK newspapers a B4U network's representative stated they "have received threats that has forced them to take the matter seriously". .
What Will It Be received the Freedom to create award in 2008.
The music video was also shown as part of an art exhibition for freedom of expression in Stedelijk Museum
Stedelijk Museum
Founded in 1874, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam is a museum for classic modern and contemporary art in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. It has been housed on the Paulus Potterstraat, next to Museum Square Museumplein and to the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and the Concertgebouw, in Amsterdam Zuid...
, The Netherlands.
Eventually, due to demand, “What Will It Be” was made available as a digital download only release on ITunes. Although this was to be Deeyah’s last single due to concerns over personal safety.